KCRag Forum

Details on Westport schools reuse: Market rate housing proposal

Proposal in a nutshell: Westport High School would be converted to 150 market-rate residential housing units along the outside of the building, with a fitness center (open to the community) and perhaps offices for small businesses in the interior. The developer would keep the outdoor football and soccer fields, making them available for rental to anyone in the community, and might add an outdoor pool. The middle school would also become market-rate residential units mixed with office space, a pool and fitness center.

Would rather see it become a private or non-KCSD school but that's probably the second best re-use. Or a mega hostel? Does KC have a hostel?

Sounds like a pretty good project to me. Not sure what there is not to like?

More proposals

http://midtownkcpost.com/2012/08/28/det ... enter-1139

Proposal in a nutshell: Westport High School redevelopment would be centered around a new pilot private school. The middle school would house local nonprofits, some of whom have already agreed to move or are considering the relocation. The developers also have an agreement with Cultivate KC to build an urban agricultural center on the middle school site, including community gardens and orchards and space for conducting training in urban agriculture.

housing sounds best!

This meetings took place at Redeemer Fellowship pretty cool to see the church involved in the community.

did they propose to tear it down for their parking?

kboish wrote:did they propose to tear it down for their parking?

Oh... I see what you did there.

.

I like the sound of Berkebile's plan. If he could do all of that in one building, and then market rate housing in the other I think it would be perfect.

I'm also wondering if they have control of the entire two blocks. If so, this is a tremendous opportunity to build up the area. I would like to see housing fill up the western half of the block, preferably single family along Warwick and flats along 38th, with some new mixed use fronting 39th to the west of the school. Retail across 39th on that vacant lot would be really great as well. I made a site plan they could follow that would be sweet, but I seem to be having difficulty uploading the file :/ This area desperately needs these blocks to be filled in. At the very least the reuse of the schools should have a very positive effect.

Now all they need to do is get rid of that dumpy quick mart at 39th and warwick, rent a center, and 2 or 3 check cashing places

Demosthenes wrote:If so, this is a tremendous opportunity to build up the area. I would like to see housing fill up the western half of the block, preferably single family along Warwick and flats along 38th, with some new mixed use fronting 39th to the west of the school.

Just think of all of the housing that was destroyed to make the sports fields and all with all of that deseg money that was thrown around.

It's great that there seems to be a great deal of interest in redeveloping the buildings here no matter what happens.

aknowledgeableperson wrote:Just think of all of the housing that was destroyed to make the sports fields and all with all of that deseg money that was thrown around.

My thoughts exactly...

A couple graphics I put together this morning. I recall most of this housing was still existing in 1990 when the desegregation construction began.

Where's that map from/is there a version online? That's wonderful.

That map is beautiful- its from a large book survey of the city in 1925. Spivey's had two or three of the books & sold them by the page during their closing. I own five or six prints of the West Bottoms and Cliff Drive.

Last weekend I was talking with a guy who moved Midtown in the early 70's. His first place was near Westport High School, catacorner from Building B (above) We had been talking about the JJ's explosion and he told a story about standing on the corner of 40th and McGee and watching people jump off the porches of the apartment building to escape a fire.

Westport Junior High School has advanced part the first step in receiving historic designation for use of tax credits for redevelopment.

Other Kansas City properties nominated for the National Register of Historic Places and receiving state approval on Friday were:

• Westport Junior High School, 300 E. 39th St.

http://tinyurl.com/o8y97z9

http://midtownkcpost.com/district-annou ... hool-sale/

The school district has approved the sale of Westport High to Kansas City Sustainable Development Partners, LLC for the historic redevelopment of the building as a mixed-use project.

That’s the same group that bought Westport Middle in January of 2014. It includes Bob Berkebile, David Brain, Butch Rigby, Louis D. Steele, and E.F. Chip Walsh.

Westport Commons Open House, 6-8pm Oct. 6.